Sterling Standard from Sterling, Illinois · Page 14

? "**&, 4 ""* "^ ""^c ^ A n f \i / 1 $ I* 1 S / - \ s ,1 _ Jg Hwnn OUfc i; jt _--,' „ „ Y - T "S <t . »<-,«. !,-„ T -"-?n r f T* ff «f>rrrt. fr>r !» .«>rt! f s •;£*'' ' Tflr] * f* 1 ** 3 17.v r' \ r sroOiT lit!]® Rr*nt1- e r -ir,s; lo h*ve * h»br; in Jhrf mor* month*. We meant not to tell s iittl« while w*. Th? Rut nitv, you poor ri?*r. T •>, nu to Mop your trying. *nrS pd ?ml me you're glad. Tart'* Arrn't you thrilled. Mother-— lad loo' Another little baby—to ir>kf hfp bearable now that TtrK>, Ronr. oh. pirn** fell me ou'rr clad!" 'Tad! Is it true?" Thry Surnrd to him togrthfr. T mother. And their so genuine, thst Valrrir laughed nloud. 'Well. I like that! Of course it's tnir Don't you suppose 1 know?" Tl'.rn thry laughed ~- the two womrn who never expected to smilr neRin -- find, throwing their arms abmit Valfrir, ki.sed her. 'Oil, my dear!" breathed Sybil, and. catching R sob with her teeth, hit hrr lip 1 ;. "I think it's wonderful, Val." shr cried. 'And I never even ll'Mr p,t-i_ wif r ! I <» 7 I! -M </-, >w H*r j^ftW}*** K.!'** erM }i*» •"»' «• fh* r hi* s».lr»t^>r>. R"' h* vantM rrv lust thf M*mr. Orlr th»rs tr>» t*1«?- ..... rfnn't ' i)* h«*r Craie. em tel! roil, rl"(«h«l hi* hsnd H( * kn^lt th mr b««;td«« her. and I never w»s so surprised in nil mv life. Three months . . . why. V*l!" Mrs, Thome was counting quietly on her finders. "June—that's lovely," she whispered through her tears. "Tad, I'm .so Rlad " She kissed him tenderly. "I -guess I've something to live for after all. Your baby—" Her hnnds dropped idly In her lap. and she fell to musing. "Tad was a lovely baby, Valerie. Such a fine, healthy boy. And he never gave me a minute's worry. Sybil was fussy — but Tad — land sake's alive. I often said you'd never know there was a baby In the house. Teddy was .* good baby, j them warmly. She leanwJ against Ihirn, snd he «n< itwarp poignantly ' of hc-r lovelinrM and desirability. And the glamour of her presence enfolded him as if always did. When a man of profound nature has loved P. worn an for many years, and been denied the fulfillment of his love, thfr* may rise from this d?ni»l ft sort of protective tf>ndern?s. A rare and lovely thins like » wraith of pusjslon. And it embraces the object of his adoration gently RR the perfume of R summer's night. It is nn exquisite bfauUlude. nnd dill uses the precious fragrance of a. graciouj; dream. In some magnetic way Sybil frlf herself enfolded In the spiritual garment, of Craig's love, But when he raised her hand to his lips, and kissed hrr fingers, one by one. she drew them away. "No. Craig. Not yet I've come to ask you Romethlng. But yeu must hear me first." "Yes, darling." He soothed her gently, stroking her knees. "I've been a bad irirl, Craig" "No, no, Little Sweet." It was his turn to put linger? across her lips. "No. Sybil. Dear little, good little girl—No." "But I have. Craip. Listen. The man I went to see was John Lawrence. He didn't die at all. CraiR. It was all a mistake. He—he's very much alive. Mabel knew him first—only she didn't know he was John, you see. She thought his name was Roger Caldwell. He's a real estate agent. And Mabel was look- too. Remember when he was cut-, j ng for Rn apartment. And when tin* those first teeth? The poor the agent came I was there, don't little tyke. . . ." .Sybil slipped quietly from the room. A few minutes later Tad lound her at the telephone. Sybil had worn a black frock to Ttddy s funeral, and on her fhoulder a bunch of the anemones she had scattered on his casket. She sat on a high-backed Spanish chair that she had dragged to the table on "which the telphone stood, and she jested her head wearily against the shield of red and gold that oranmented its tall carved back. On the table tall candles .cast K light on A bowl of white roses that diffused the heavy odor that comes with funerals, and a prolusion of cut flowers. She sat with her back to Tad. but he caught a glimpse of her pale fare in the mirror. And he thought f>hr looked like a penitential little saint in her black dress. with the candlrs flickering, and the breath of mournful sweetness all about her. She was talking li.stlesily, her lips removr-d from the transmitter. "--you expect him shortly? This !•; Sybil Thornr. Please tell him I nant to see him. Tell him to wait for int." -• _ She hung up the receiver, and turned to Tad. "Craig is getting in from New York this alternoon." she said, 'and there's something I want to him. I'm going to drive in you see? And It was John Lawrence. He'd had amnesia. Craig. He wasnt killed at all. He'd only forgotten. And when he saw me he fainted. And then Mab and I revived him. and he knew me. . . . Oh. It's surh a dreadfully long story, Craig." He pulled her short skirt down over her silken knees, and held his peace. "And that night," she said. pal- Ing as she told it, ~"I went to s*e him. I went, to his apartment. Craig. And I wanted him to make love to me. He told me about the girl he is to marry, and he said she was his salvation, and his compass and everything. And still I wanted him no make love to me. You see I am a very bad girl, Craig." He was silent. "And then," she said, "he asked me sf I had had lovers. Craig. And he came and took me in his arms, And he kised me. . . . And it was tele phone rang. And it was Mabel. And Teddy was dead, onlv ' " I didn't know it then." "Poor little girl. Sweet dear little girl." little, ' He reminded her of a monk on his knee.s. telling a litany. A beautiful litany of infinite sweetness. "Craigh—darling," She put her lips to his ear. "I'm not very de- ...« (...,,. A ,., |!>U»*4Pk IVJ UIIIG 111 I . . town now Please don't ask me not" * ny " 1 ° n '- Ilttle while aB ° to. Tad I will be nil right " i - •.-. * nen >' ou lovcd me ... I had "I'll take you in," he offered "No. I'd rather go alone You stav with Mother and Val " "I will,' 1 IIP agreed, "if you'll promise to bf back bv dinner tune." ' I promise. And Tad — will you do me a favor? Will you put Teddys hiph chair beside my place again? I don't want his things up in the attic. I'd like to keep them around, until — until "we hive another baby Teddy," She bent to her overshoes "I'm not crying for me." she declared in a muffled little voice. "Us for you and Val—because I'm so elad for ypu." Tad out his arms clumsily about her. "God bless you." he whispered. "No don't be nice to me." she warned rum—or I'll cry.' - * Craig «ui.' idly scanning closing Mock it-port:, when Sybil, without knocking, slipped quietly into me room. She was pale as the flowers Mie \VOIP. and itemed as Jra:! and tweet, 'Svb:!! My dear what Is the m-otter' You're white a& a sheet." Solicitously he took her hand and &rc-w her to his client's best upholstered chair. ' Have vou bt-t n ii!. Sib? Is anything wrong? My poor little girl. \ou look like death." "Teddy> de.id Craig ' 'Teddy?' he repeated dully. "VfA We b'jned him this afirr- Moim- iii ini ht tie teddy bear suit The red oat. It wa* the warmest thing he had I tucked bis iuile puppy dog under ta> arm—the one you gave him He loved it »o." ' Sybil—darling—" "Wall. Crsig — I came to tell you And I was very happy. Now I Teddy is gone .... And I feel very • old . . . Could you love me now, i Craig?" "Oh. my dear My dear." He buried his face in her lap. "I wish you could." she whispered, "but if you cant, it's al! right. Cralgie. I didn't really think you would. I'm so miserable, you see. Men never love miserable women. ... Of course you don't want me. . . . I shouldn't have come. But I wanted to know. Craig. ... I wanted to be sure." She rose unsteadily to her feet, and when »he swayed he caught her, and held her close. And she was as sweet in his arms as her anemones. "Oh. my darling. My poor hurt little darling." "You love me?" she murmured. "I love you so," he whisswred. "I love you so. . . ." Then she raised her face, all wet »ith tears, and he kiiacd her pale white lids so gently she scarcely lelt his lips. (The End> x'U^iVx^ NOM COMBAtPvKITS. »C«VKI. we. MB r ^ I'LL ?urt rr ort OF A SALESMAN SAM He Knows All About It By Sm*a| WOVl TH<XT Vfv 6oT HOUR FIRST 1WMO TJX 00 \ wise CR*VCK Crur.2. POCKETS AW' » OOM'T T(LL VOURt OF P»LL WE. <StoTTA AM 1 PiMO SOWS CUS FEECKLES AND HIS Doctor! Doctor! AiONM 7?UT FCECkLES IS RID OF B07JU. AIS ELEPAAMT CAM BBEATu UOO TW£. AOUS6 A6AlM-» I. SETTLE BACK IM 7M& OLD AND QUET QAOCE AK)RE .'/ BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES TWfc TO * KfcH I CY.tUt'R , \ <^ <l ^ ^- -^ >-* /t.\ /\ MOM'N POP The Neighbor Looks For a Pinch Hitter TUfsTSToo Vou £er \ VJU.L— \ I'LLSAS t ob! BUT 00 VOU KMQW / { WftS POUMOIMCr M-We-TV TtLU m HAWOS ABOUT <30MMP> TOUCH A To COAM MG. A TAKE. A CRACK AT \T RJR, A MAIL NtIO XOO VVACtS VVfc Ferdy Gets a New Thrill By Oowaal . "But, Sib—you don't mean tlia.t Teddy'i not tea-lly dead — not your UUte -Teddy." i He w&s blanug s*t her iu though lie teheed t\?r cracy. nod ttu fact «Si gray and drawn su h«s "t ttotudn'i irll >au Cr*ijfie. !f it fiu? N<» dear. I hsvrn t I udu%. Teddys det<i. i kiio*,j , VWEL.I. IV OWE-OCUKO 15 MT C0UfiH£St ci Q&JECT POP'S UKfe AMD SO' ROUGU CAU SCBAtCrt A* HIS KECK Tk4i.M A LUNCH TO SAftU ACCEPT "fc» NAME "Twt SPOT BOORS FOB we LIKE AM GO THRU A HOT-WOU$e